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Monday, August 22, 2011

Meet the Teacher Monday

I'm so excited to participate in Teacher Week over at Blog Hoppin'!  Today is Meet the Teacher Monday!  So.....here I am!!!


Tell us a little something about you...

I'm Caitlin and I teach primary math.  I'm not married.  No kids.  Just me, myself, and I.  I like it that way; it's quiet and no one bugs me when I come home!  I do love spending lots of time with my friends and family though!  When I'm not teaching, I love to shop.  Seriously.  It might be an addiction.  I'm pretty sure I keep JCrew in business.  When I'm not teaching or shopping, I'm probably watching tv.  Love me some Chelsea Lately, Gossip Girl, Pretty Little Liars, Criminal Minds, oh I could go on and on.  My DVR gets pretty full and I love Sundays because that's my DVR clearing out time.

How long have you been teaching?

I have been teaching for three years.  I have a second grade homeroom, but teach math to kindergarten, first, and second grades.  My school is a Project CHILD school, meaning we keep our kids for three years and we are all content area specialists.  It's really a great way to teach; I get to build amazing relationships with my students and their families and I can concentrate on teaching one subject area well.  I can't imagine teaching any other way.  Outside of my elementary classroom, I have a couple of other teaching gigs: I'm teaching an introduction to education course for my local community college this semester and I recently opened an early childhood enrichment center (think: Mommy and Me, mini-camps, baby sign language).  I stay pretty busy with teaching-related stuff.  Good thing I love it!!

You might not know...

This summer I went with my family to Discovery Cove in Orlando.  And I swam with and kissed a dolphin!  I wish I could just completely and totally gush about it, but I was scared to death.  This grown, 23 year old woman was clinging to her daddy like a 3 year old!  But once I got over my fear (and got used to the freezing water), I had fun.  And I would probably do it again.  Probably.  I told my kiddos about it on the first day of school and that afternoon, one of my little friends brought me a picture she drew of me kissing a dolphin and the dolphin was saying, "I got kissed by a teacher!"  Here I was the one freaking out about kissing a dolphin; I never even considered that the dolphin could have been freaked out about kissing a teacher!



What are you looking most forward to this school year?

Getting a Smartboard!!!!!!!  Any day now, I've been told!  I'm so stinkin' excited.  I'll be at school constantly working on lessons and figuring out all kinds of cool stuff to do with it!  Can't hardly wait!

What do you need to improve?

Spending my time wisely!  I love to talk and spend most of my time before and after school in other teacher's rooms chatting it up.  I should be spending that time in my own room doing lesson plans so I'm not there until 8:00 on Friday nights.  It's just so hard to teach with your best friends!!

What teaching supplies can you *not* live without?

I think I would die without my iPod!  I sing ALL.DAY.LONG. and use my iPod to make playlists so I'm not shuffling through CDs all day.  Makes my life so much easier. 

I completely and totally rely on my cutesy clipboard.  Since our kids rotate classes, we keep our behavior chart on a clipboard.  Mine is pink, polka dot, monogrammed, and adorned with grosgrain ribbon...of course!

I also need my Mr. Sketch markers, my black ballet flat house slippers (you know, for those days when my superfab shoes start killing my feet), and my Tervis tumbler to keep my Dr. Pepper cold all day long.


16 comments:

The Fantastic Frogs said...

Thanks for stopping by my blog! It's always fun to meet to new people :) Sounds like you had an awesome vacation. I've done the discovery cove in Hawaii--and once I got past the idea that i was swimming/touching/kissing massive creatures of the ocean it was a pretty incredible feeling!

Theresa said...

I am with you on the DVR girl! I love catching up on Sundays as well. Great to meet you.

candydishtreats.blogspot.com
primaryprincess.blogspot.com

Jennifer K. said...

I am your newest follower, solely on the basis of shared interest in Criminal Minds :P
The Project Child approach sounds awesome. I amd teaching 1st this year and have 6 kiddos that I have had in previous years - it is amazing how fluidly they have transitioned this year, while I'm still building relationships with the others. However, I can imagine how upsetting it would be to have them move on after 3 years - I feel like they're practically mine after one year let alone 3!

Jennifer @ Herding Kats In Kindergarten

meghan said...

Criminal Minds is the best, and I also use Sundays as a DVR day! You sound super busy with all you have going on, I can't imagine! Good luck this school year! ~meg

Katie @ Miss Klohn's Classroom said...

I am your newest follower and love your blog! I am a first year 6th grade ELA teacher and am looking forward to learning so much from wonderful teacher like yourself!

missklohnsclassroom.blogspot.com

Anita Bremer said...

Here's to cute clipboards! :)
http://mrsbremersk.blogspot.com/

Jenn Bess said...

Thanks for stopping by and commenting!!! I love new friends! I was laughing about your "coloring with gluesticks" comment because my partner teacher told me after school that one of her little kinders was gluesticking his eyebrow today! LOL! :) Looks like a lot of people have DVR Cleaning Sundays! I'm right there with you gals!!! Have a great night! :)

Jenn
Life of a Kinder Teacher

Mrs. Wristbridge said...

I just became a follower since we have our mutual love of the CW. Meeting the cast of One Tree Hill was beyond a doubt the most amazing experience! They were so nice and if possible, even better looking in person.

Catherine said...

congrats on the smartboard! they rock!

Sarah Kate Triebel said...

Caitlin- Thanks for the comment on my Meet the teacher post. I love your blog decor. I'm a follower! Best wishes this year!

Pam Everitt said...

Tervis rocks!!!!!! and Dr. Pepper!!!

Casey Orr said...

Thanks for commenting on my blog!! Your blog is precious, and I feel like me and you could definitely hit the town shopping together! :) Also, I agree, the Tervis Tumbler really is important for survival as a teacher.

Ms. Preppy said...

Thanks for stopping by, guys! Glad to know I'm not the only one who is slightly obsessed with good TV, Tervis tumblers, and caffeine!!

Jenn--omg!! So glad I didn't have a kinder using their glue as eyebrow wax. :)

Jennifer--I totally love keeping my kiddos for 3 years. The end of this year will be the first time I've had to see my babies go after having them for so long. Hopefully my tears won't cause a flood on the end of the last day!

primary practice said...

Hi Caitlin- Love your blog and I'm already learning a few new things! The Project Child School concept sounds fun-wish we had that opportunity in our district. Now I think I'll have to find a Tervis tumbler :) I'm a new follower and thanks for visiting and commenting at my blog too!

Primary Practice

teaching fashionista said...

Thanks for following!
Swimming with the dolphins was so cool in Bahamas also!

Unknown said...

Your blog is so stinkin' cute!
Where have I been to miss it??
Love, love, L-O-V-E swimming with dolphins. The Indian River (where I live) has oodles of porpoise congregating. My sister and I love hijack the jet ski and troll for them for hours! (Much to the boys chagrin.)

Happy Teacher Week!